10 SEPTEMBER 1901 - WATERVAL

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Gen Louis Botha was born in Greytown in 1862. In 1884 he took part in an expedition under the leadership of Lucas Meyer to reinstate Chief Dinuzulu in Zululand. 

As reward Dinizulu gave them a piece of land, of which Botha’s portion was the farm Waterval, 24 miles north-west of Vryheid.

During the war, British troops destroyed Botha’s farmhouse on Waterval with dynamite and photos of the damaged house were sent to his wife Annie in Pretoria. The Bothas never returned to Waterval.

 

The LG of 3 December 1901, p8546, carries a Mention for Lieutenants Nicoll and Wells of the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles “For dash and judgement in attack on position at Waterval on 10th September 1901”.

 

The Johannesburg Mounted Rifles operated in this vicinity at the time, but it is not known what the Waterval attack of 10 September entailed.

 

Six DSO (Vict); 
QSA, 6 clasps CC, Tug H, OFS, RoL, Tvl, L Nek: 243Sjt. A.G.B. Nicol. Bethune’s M. I.; 
KSA, 2 clasps SA’01, SA’02: Capt. A.G.B. Nicol, D.S.O. Johannesburg M.R.; 
14-15 Star: Lt. A.G.B. Nicol, S.A.S.C.T. & R.; 
BWM & AVM (Bil): Capt. A.G.B. Nicol